As a follow-up to my ‘pre-New Year’s rededication‘ I just signed up for the George Washington Parkway Classic, one of my favorite races in the DC area.
Nothing keeps you focused on training like sunk money, and a return to the site of my PR at the distance doesn’t hurt either!
Held on April 23, it’s a straight-line 10-miler, starting at the historic Mt. Vernon Estates, home of George Washington, and finishing in Old Town Alexandria. The route runs right along the shores of the Potomac River, and it’s an early-morning race, so it’s a particularly beautiful route.
The race has historically been very well-run, too. Buses leave like clockwork from a variety of locations to the start line, and bring finishers back to their parking sites aftewards.
The best part of it – it’s fast. The first half mile is noticeably downhill (drops 90 feet in .6 miles). The middle of the race is mostly flat, with a smallish 60-foot rise from 3.5 miles to 4.5 miles. Over the next mile-and-a-half, it’s a steady downhill, and flat most of the rest of the way.
Race totals: +257 ft / -363ft. Not bad!
I haven’t run this one for the past few years, mainly due to timing and injury, but I’m looking forward to this one. There’ll be lots of cross-training and treadmills between now and then, since the weather prognosticators are calling for a colder, snowier winter in DC than last year.
Weather be damned, though – I’ll be ready when April rolls around!
The Runnin' Major 
Sounds like a cool race!
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